(T/N: Please consider reviewing this Fanfic. Thanks and appreciate all who support me.
(T/N: Enjoy!)
<><><><><><>
As mentioned before, Goku had originally intended to give all of Gato's wealth to Tazuna's family. However, Tazuna didn't dare accept it all, taking only a very small portion.
So, where did the rest of the money go? With the unanimous support of everyone present, the staggering fortune ended up in Goku's hands.
Given the substantial amount of money, it was suggested that Goku carry only a single stack of banknotes.
Kakashi sealed the rest of the wealth into a scroll, which he would look after for the time being.
Goku had no objection to this arrangement, primarily because he had absolutely no concept of how much money it actually was.
In other words, he didn't care how much money he had, as long as it was enough to use.
Seeing the bills Goku placed on the counter, Teuchi's eyes nearly popped out of his head.
He had noticed that each bill in the stack was 10,000 ryo.
Judging by its thickness, the total amount had to be at least a million ryo, which was nearly his net profit for an entire year of work!
'Is this customer really that rich?' he thought, looking at the strangely dressed, simple-mindedly grinning Goku, a flicker of curiosity about his identity sparking in his mind.
"Hey, Goku, I said I was treating you. Why are you paying for it yourself?" Naruto asked, his face scrunched up in a frown.
As one of the people who supported Goku taking Gato's fortune, he was well aware that Goku was carrying a huge sum of money.
But he had never intended for Goku to pay, because treating him to a meal was a promise he had made. And when he makes a promise, he keeps it.
That was his ninja way!
"Didn't you treat me?" Goku asked, casually picking up a few of the bills Naruto had poured out and placing them on top of his own stack with a grin.
"Treating me to one bowl still counts as treating me."
Although he usually appeared to be a simple-minded oaf, he was actually deceptively wise. This could be seen on many occasions.
For example, when he learned that Old Kai held the key to defeating Majin Buu, he cleverly used the old god's lecherous nature, offering to trade photos of Bulma for the information.
That scene had nearly made Vegeta explode with rage, who roared at him, asking why he didn't use pictures of his own wife, Chi-Chi.
"Can you do that?" Hearing Goku's response, Naruto frowned and fell into deep thought.
"Of course you can. Right, mister?" Goku pushed the money toward Teuchi, giving him a meaningful look.
"Hahaha, of course. Don't worry about it, Naruto." Teuchi instantly understood Goku's signal.
He reached out, took the few bills that belonged to Naruto, and then pulled two bills from Goku's stack.
"We'll count the extra as a prepayment for your future visits, sir. The next time you come to eat, we'll deduct the cost from it." After collecting the money, he explained this to Goku.
"No problem, I'll be back!" Goku said, clasping his hands behind his head and flashing a wide, toothy grin.
....
Meanwhile, not long after Kakashi finished his report and left, an uninvited guest arrived at the Hokage's office.
"Hiruzen, why is there an unidentified individual hanging around the jinchuriki? I think it would be best if you handed the jinchuriki over to my custody, to prevent any problems from arising."
The man pushed the door open without knocking and strode up to Hiruzen Sarutobi, his voice low and serious.
His appearance was peculiar; his forehead and the right side of his face were covered in bandages, leaving only the left side visible.
As he spoke, his exposed left eye was as deep and unfathomable as the ocean, making it impossible to guess his thoughts.
Hiruzen was not angered by this sudden intrusion; it was clearly a common occurrence.
He looked up at this old friend, who had grown increasingly reclusive and cold over the years, and said calmly, "Danzo, you need not concern yourself with Naruto's affairs. I have it under control."
Hearing this, Danzo let out a cold laugh, his words sharp.
"Heh, you have it under control, Hiruzen? Let's not talk about anything else; letting the jinchuriki leave the village was a mistake in itself!"
"As Konoha's strategic weapon, the jinchuriki should be strictly supervised and confined within the village. But you, you actually let him go out on a mission."
"What's more, he comes back with an unidentified person at his side. What if this person finds out the jinchuriki's identity?"
"What if he already knows and came here specifically for the jinchuriki? Hmph. Is this what you call having things under control, Hiruzen?"
As the leader of the "Root" organization, which operated in the shadows of Konoha, he viewed everything with suspicion, believing that any potential variable needed to be firmly controlled.
Only then could problems be avoided. Only then could Konoha be protected.
Because in his mind, Konoha was already his to possess, something that belonged to him and him alone.
Hiruzen was aware of some of Danzo's deeper thoughts, but he paid them little mind.
He believed that Danzo's intentions were ultimately for the good of the village, even if his methods were a bit extreme.
So, even when faced with such accusations, he did not get angry. He took a puff from his pipe and chuckled softly.
"Danzo, Naruto is not just a jinchuriki. He is Minato's only son. I cannot keep him locked up in the village forever."
"As for the person who appeared at his side, Kakashi has already reported it to me."
"At present, while his exact identity is not yet confirmed, we have some understanding of his origins."
"Furthermore, Kakashi has personally vouched that he will not bring any harm to Naruto or to Konoha."
During his report, Kakashi mentioned Goku's origins and the "ki" he spoke of, noting that Naruto and the others were now teaching it under Goku's guidance.
When he first heard this, he found it hard to believe.
He had lived for so long and had never met anyone from outside the shinobi world, let alone heard of an energy different from chakra.
But after some thought, he came to accept it, because he knew that there were indeed many places beyond the shinobi world that they had yet to explore.
The three great Sage regions, for instance, were located in mysterious places outside the known world. So, this person named Son Goku could have come from such a place.
After accepting his origins, his curiosity about ki was piqued, and he wanted to see what Naruto and the others could achieve with it.
If it proved beneficial for increasing their strength, then the possibilities were numerous.
This was the ultimate reason he had agreed to let the powerful Goku stay in Konoha.
"Oh? And what are his origins?" Hearing Hiruzen's words, Danzo asked impassively.
He already knew about Goku's presence in their group even before Kakashi and his team had returned to the village.
He had ordered his Root operatives to investigate Goku's background, but had found nothing.
This had aroused his suspicion, which was why he had come here right after Kakashi finished his report.
His earlier words were merely a pretext; he never expected Hiruzen actually to listen to him. He had only one purpose for coming here: to pry Goku's origins from Hiruzen's lips!
However, while he had expected an answer, he was refused.
Hiruzen took another puff from his pipe and looked at him, speaking in a slow, deliberate tone.
"Danzo, that is something you do not need to know for the time being. When the time is right, I will tell you myself."
Not getting the answer he wanted, Danzo let out a cold snort and stormed out, slamming the door behind him.
"Hmph! Very well, Hiruzen Sarutobi!" Since he wouldn't be told, he would find out the truth through his own means!
(T/N: Please give me some power stone, I hope it can at least reach the top 100)
If you want to support me, join my patr**on. Have 20 advanced Chapters for you guys.
patr**n.com/saitamablast > SGJM NOVEL TIER